Educational benefits of teaching related subjects to English language learners
Cognates are a powerful tool for learning a second language. Students of English learn to use knowledge of related words to build an extensive base of English vocabulary.
What are cognates?
Vocabulario, animal/animal, actor/actor, color/color are just a few of the thousands of cognates in English and Spanish.
Cognates are an important part of learning English. Cognates are words in two languages that have the same or similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation. Spanish and English cognates include: doctor/doctor, family/familia, construction, construccion, and electricity/electricidad. Some languages like Spanish have thousands close to English, and other languages like Chinese and Arabic have very few.
Cognates in two languages that have the same or similar meanings and spellings increase English learners’ vocabulary.
Why teach loved ones?
These similarities in meaning and often in spelling give second language learners the ability to understand new words and learn English vocabulary more quickly. These cognates give students an instant foundation of vocabulary. When students can identify related words from their first language, it increases students’ knowledge of English vocabulary by thousands of words they already know.
English learners just need to learn the spelling and pronunciation rules that go with the native language and have a solid foundation of English vocabulary.
What does the research say?
According to Nagy and Nagy, et al (1988; 1993), many second language learners of Spanish need help in recognizing and using cognates. Direct instruction from the teacher helps students use related words to understand new or unfamiliar words in English.
What are false relatives?
False cognates are words that are spelled or pronounced similarly in two languages but do not have the same meaning. Idiom/idiom in Spanish and English are examples of false cognates. Idioma in Spanish means language, while idiom in English means a phrase that doesn’t mean what the words say (it’s raining cats and dogs). Another important reason to teach English language learners about cognates is to alert them to false cognates.
What can parents do?
Talk to your kids. When you see a related word in two languages that has the same or similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation, point it out to your child and talk about the meaning in your first language. Remember that Spanish and English cognates include: doctor/doctor, family/familia, construction, construccion, and electricity/electricidad. Cognates are everywhere!
Here is a list of everyday cognates that you can use to teach your child to recognize and use cognates to build English vocabulary!
Happy Learning!
Lori
English Spanish
animal animal
flower color
doctor doctor
family familia
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